“If you see anything on ConservativeHome that you find objectionable please alert the Editor by using the ‘report’ link under each comment. Potentially actionable remarks and all impersonations of another person – a public figure or otherwise – are likely to result in an immediate and permanent ban on the source IP address.Homophobic, racist or other hateful posts will also result in permanent bans. Bad language, personal nastiness, going off-topic, or posts that are overly long, tangential or simply tedious may be deleted and their authors may be subject to temporary or permanent bans. The Editor’s decision is final with regard to any and all bans. The Editor also reserves the right to edit any comments – removing bad language or other objectionable material.”

And here is the new one, which will shortly replace it:

“As its name suggests, ConservativeHome is a home, and it follows that there are house rules for those who enter it – in other words, moderation. These are as follows. Abusive, insulting, racist, homophobic and off-topic posts will be deleted, as will those that are overly long, tangential or simply tedious, and their authors barred from the site at the editors’ discretion. Potentially actionable remarks and impersonations of another person will result in a ban.

Supporters of other political parties won’t be allowed to colonise the site and the marking system on comments – which is why a number of them have been banned and the system closed. The editors’ verdict is final. There is no right of appeal. The editors are under no obligation to correspond about individual decisions. If you see anything on ConservativeHome that you find objectionable, please alert the editors by using the ‘Report’ link under each comment.”

As readers will see, the latter doesn’t differ much from the former. It has effectively been in place for a fortnight or so.

A final point: since it has been in place, comments have been no less critical of the Government and the Party leadership that they were before – which is how it should be, if that’s the view of readers.